


a good cat-ch

by amaelamin



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Background Relationships, Getting Together, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta, Nakamoto Yuta is a Little Shit, Shapeshifting, strategic underwear thievery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28379472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaelamin/pseuds/amaelamin
Summary: yuta is a cat/human shapeshifter and his current mission in life is to Get Taeil A Boyfriend. cue shenanigans!
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Moon Taeil
Comments: 24
Kudos: 156





	a good cat-ch

**Author's Note:**

> this is a remix of an old fic based on the prompt 'my cat steals underwear and i came home to find you chasing my cat to get your underwear back (neighbours au)'

“Yuta? What is that? Oh my god, not again. We’ve been _over_ this! Why are you doing this to me?”

The large orange tabby jumps down from the window ledge where he’d just come in and nonchalantly drops the red briefs he’s carrying in his mouth onto the floor like an offering. He sits, insolent as only a cat can be, and proceeds to give Taeil a Look. Taeil sits up as well from where he’s been loafing in his big beanbag chair and stares back, not to be outdone.

“Whose underwear did you steal now? I told you the last time-”

The doorbell buzzes just at that moment, and Yuta’s look takes on a glow of satisfaction. Taeil isn’t sure how he can tell that Yuta is pleased, but he _knows_.

Taeil sends an exasperated glare Yuta’s way and goes to answer the door, hoping he isn’t going to be dragged into an unpleasant argument over inappropriate pet behaviour. It opens to a redfaced boy who almost looks disappointed Taeil is actually at home because now he needs to proceed with whatever he’s here for. _Oh_ , Taeil thinks absently. _It’s really not a good thing Yuta knows exactly what my type is_.

“Um. Hi. Uh, I just moved in next door? Renting. With a friend. And-” The boy had been darting glances up at Taeil like he couldn’t really bring himself to look him in the eye, and just then he catches sight of Yuta sitting triumphantly guarding his haul of bright red briefs behind Taeil and his eyes widen.

“Yeah! So, I saw your cat grab one of my - uh, my underwear was hanging on a drying rack in my bedroom and he came in through my window and grabbed one. And I saw him come into your house. And he’s sitting right there. With my - it.”

Taeil turns around to look at Yuta with this poor boy’s stolen briefs casually washing one front paw and curses him in his mind.

“I’m really sorry - my cat can be a huge asshole,” Taeil says with feeling. He quickly walks over to Yuta and picks up the briefs - hoping they’re really freshly washed like the boy said - and passes them to his new neighbour, who immediately stuffs them into his shorts pocket and bows awkwardly in thanks.

“This won’t happen again,” Taeil promises, as the boy, still blushing, hastily backs away off down Taeil’s little porch and towards his own house.

“Will it?” Taeil turns around to find Yuta, human now, lounging in Taeil’s beanbag and still giving off an air of deep satisfaction. “I said, will it?”

Yuta turns innocent eyes on Taeil. “Hmm?”

“Are you seriously going to try to set me up with every cute boy that moves into the neighbourhood?”

“So you admit he’s cute,” Yuta grinned. “And what do you mean ‘every’? He’s just the second,” he sighs. “I miss Johnny. Too bad he had to go to Japan to work. He always gave me lots of treats.”

“Will you stop terrorising these people and let me live in peace?”

“Who’s terrorising? I’m merely being a friendly neighbour. And a good friend to you, O Great Celibate One,” Yuta rolls his eyes. “You saw with your own eyes that he’s cute. And taller than you. Just as you like them. See how he was blushing? So precious.”

“‘Cute’ and ‘taller than me’ doesn’t mean I want to date him, you psycho.”

“What, he needs to submit a whole resume first? I’m trying my hardest here for your happiness and you’re making things so hard, hyung. Look, I’ll get him over here again and then it’s all up to you to strike up a conversation and get his number. Even better yet, invite him in-”

“You are not stealing his underwear again!”

Yuta throws his hands in the air in frustration. “Fine. Then you better take the ones I already got and go give them back since you’re so set on being single for the rest of your life.”

“What ones you already got?!”

Yuta gives Taeil a highly disappointed look and pads off towards their shared room, emerging a minute later with about three to four more pairs of underwear - a mix of boxers and briefs, but all in shades of red.

“Clearly he has a thing for this colour,” Yuta muses, looking at the underwear in his hands as Taeil nearly has a heart attack. “I can’t decide if it’s cute or weird.”

“Yuta!”

“What?”

Taeil opens his mouth to let loose with a tirade of why it is not okay to steal strangers’ underwear but decides it’s a lost cause. He grabs the boxers and briefs from Yuta - god, he’s having to touch some complete stranger’s underwear because of his insane roommate-slash-cat - with a dirty look and stomps out of his house. His _underwear_.

It’s only a few steps to the kid’s house; they live on a short street of small one-bedroom houses that are starting to be dwarfed by the tall apartment blocks growing up around them. He’s very attached to this house; it used to belong to his uncle from decades ago and he dreads the day he’ll get the notice of impending demolishment. Most of the owners rent these nostalgic houses out now, like his neighbour to Yuta’s newest victim - Taeil thinks he may be the only one who still owns and lives in his.

Taeil hesitantly presses the doorbell of the house next to his, assuming that it has to be this one because the kid had said he’d moved in next door and had walked off to the right of Taeil’s house. The boy isn’t the one who opens the door, however; someone else with bright eyes and an even brighter smile does, and he waits pleasantly for Taeil to say something. Taeil wants to coo - Taeil doesn’t even know him and yet he’s willing to bet real money on this boy being an absolute angel.

“Hi, I’m sorry for disturbing you. I live right next door. Is your friend home? I need to return something to him. I hope I’ve got the right house-”

“Is it more underwear?” The man says, bursting into extremely endearing laughter.

Taeil can feel the blush begin to creep up his neck. “Well. I wish I could say no.”

“Your cat steals stuff, huh? It’s really cute. I was scared for a moment when it came inside because I’ve got a dog - not that my Butt would hurt your cat though, more like the other way around-”

Taeil blinks a few times. “I’m sorry, your- your butt?”

“Oh! That’s his nickname, because he’s so lazy. Also known more officially as Badass.”

Badass - apparently a black pug - takes that very moment to emerge from somewhere and slowly amble across the small and minimally-decorated living room behind the guy, looking like the least badass thing Taeil has ever seen. Taeil hides a grin.

“Um, maybe you can pass these to your friend-” Taeil holds out the underwear, seizing the opportunity to get out of this situation without having to deal with the other - unfortunately very cute - boy.

“Hey man, no way am I touching his underwear. He may be my brother from another mother but there are boundaries. Hyuckie! Special delivery!”

Taeil just wants to die on the spot as - Hyuckie , it seems; Hyuck? - comes out of the kitchen at his housemate’s call and blanches when he sees Taeil who must be as red as a tomato by now.

“Uh.” Taeil manages eloquently, holding out his handful of shame. “I”m so sorry. There - there’s more.”

“Dude, why is your underwear all red?” Hyukkie’s friend snorts, and the boy blushes furiously as he bustles forward to retrieve them from Taeil. _How nice_ , Taeil thinks faintly. _We match_ .

“That should be all of it,” Taeil fumbles. “I mean, I’ll have to search the house, but I don’t think he stole any more.”

“Why does he do that?” the housemate asks, genuinely curious.

_Well, he’s actually a shapeshifter who likes to spend time as a cat and he steals the underwear of cute boys in an attempt to reel them in and get me to date them because he thinks I’m incapable of finding myself a boyfriend and your friend is just the latest victim_. Taeil shrugs weakly. “Cats?”

“That’s why I like dogs, man. They’re simple.” The housemate holds out his hand. “I’m Mark Lee, by the way. He’s Lee Donghyuck, no relation. You are..?”

“Taeil. Moon Taeil.”

“Uh, we’re still in college. How do we address you?” They take a moment to iron out ages and honorifics and Taeil learns that Donghyuck - still blushing, clutching his underwear behind his back - is six years younger, and Mark is five years younger, which makes him -

“Is it alright if we call you hyung and speak comfortably? I feel like this situation has pretty much done away with the need for any kind of formality.”

Taeil embarrassedly mumbles his agreement even though he as the older one should be the one initiating this, not wanting to seem difficult. Mark is friendly and nice and has been doing most of the talking but Taeil has hardly heard a peep out of Donghyuck, who drops eye contact every time Taeil manages to catch his gaze. Taeil deflates. Damn Yuta. Donghyuck probably thinks both Taeil and his cat are insane.

“Um, I should - I should be getting back. I don’t want to intrude. Sorry again, Donghyuck.” Taeil shuffles backwards, catching the polite bow Donghyuck makes before he runs into the bedroom.

“He usually talks waaaaaaaaaay more than this!” Mark calls out after Taeil. “He’s probably just embarrassed about his under-”

The sound of Donghyuck loudly telling Mark to shut up makes Taeil smile at least on his way back home, to the den of psychotic cat-humans.

“So?” Yuta grins at him when Taeil walks in the door. “Did you talk to him? What’s his name?”

Taeil glares at him for a moment before giving in. “Donghyuck. He’s in college.”

“Ooh, college student. I bet he wouldn’t mind having a hot older boyfriend to take him on dates to expensive places and to teach him the ways of the world .”

Taeil wonders if he can give Yuta away to a cat shelter.

*

Taeil doesn’t make that much money as a junior music producer in the company he works for - _yet_ , he has big dreams - but he’s thankful it’s been enough for him to buy a simple car he can drive to and from work instead of having to take the long subway ride home. It’s a Thursday evening; so close yet so far to Saturday. Taeil loves his work, but it’s not easy, and he runs through in his head everything he still needs to complete tomorrow before he can spend the weekend comfortably. 

He inserts his key into the door to open it only to find that it’s already open.

Thoughts of what to make for his and Yuta’s dinner immediately evaporate as Taeil becomes immediately on guard, heart starting to pound. His neighbourhood isn’t strictly a dangerous one, but these old houses are relatively easy pickings for thieves because they still use traditional key locks instead of the more sophisticated heavy electronic locks in most apartments these days. Taeil silently pushes his door open, not wanting to alert anybody who still may be in the house; worry for Yuta begins to creep up his spine because if he’d been at home when the person or persons had broken in and been caught unprepared what if they’d hurt him? If he’d been in cat form he probably could have gotten away more easily, but what if he’d panicked and shifted in front of the thief?

Taeil is braced for anything when the door swings open fully, but what he sees isn’t a ransacked house, nor a robber trying to escape out one of the windows, or the dreaded sight of the lifeless body of poor Yuta. Instead Donghyuck is spread out on the floor in a tug of war with cat-Yuta, something red in Yuta’s mouth that he’s refusing to let go of.

Both Donghyuck and Yuta look up at Taeil, who looks back at them, speechless.

Yuta releases the cloth in his mouth to give a very pleased-sounding _mroowwww_ before coming over to Taeil to rub against his legs, and Taeil suppresses the urge to dropkick him into the backyard. Suddenly the image of the lifeless body of Yuta is much more appealing than it was a minute ago.

No wonder the door was open, then.

Taeil contemplates silently turning around and walking back out of the house to give Donghyuck the dignity of collecting his latest piece of looted underwear and returning to his own house in peace, but his feet seem rooted to the floor. Yuta meows again, louder this time and with an inquisitive tone.

All Taeil can look at is the red band of Donghyuck’s boxers - or briefs - peeking out above the waistband of his shorts where his shirt had ridden up in his struggle with Yuta. It looks like he had lunged for his underwear, given the way he’s spreadeagled on the floor, and this position gives Taeil lots of opportunity to admire just how long his legs are. Taeil wants to drown himself.

“I’m so sorry,” Taeil says, but it comes out in a broken whisper.

“I shouldn’t be in your house-” Donghyuck says hurriedly, getting to his feet and looking like he wants to sink through the floorboards. “But the door was open and I didn’t want to - I thought if I could catch him before you came home you wouldn’t have to catch him for me. And return my - you know.”

Yuta gives another happy meow.

“I will lock him in the bedroom,” Taeil promises. “I will lock him in the bathroom, even better. I will never let him out for as long as he lives.”

The meow Yuta next lets out is decidedly less happy.

“That’s a bit-” Donghyuck laughs a little awkwardly. “You don’t have to do that. I mean - he probably thinks it’s a game, or something. I’m just - I don’t know, maybe he likes the colour red.”

Yuta _mrrroowss_ in agreement.

“Wow, it’s like he understands what we’re saying,” Donghyuck laughs a little more, and Taeil melts at how boyishly handsome he is.

“He’s very intelligent,” Taeil nods, trying not to fall in love completely. “Unfortunately. You don’t have a pet of your own? Or you and Mark co-own, uh, Badass?”

“Oh, no, I personally don’t but my sister has two dogs. Called, uh,” Donghyuck laughs again, this time for real, and Taeil is a goner. “They’re Samgyeopsal and Galbi, because one is brown and one is beige.”

That is the most ridiculous yet adorable thing Taeil has ever heard.

“I’ve always wanted a pet,” Taeil says, putting down his work satchel. “Somehow I ended up with this kleptomaniac.”

“That’s cute too,” Donghyuck says, smiling at him, seemingly having forgotten he’s holding a pair of his own red briefs in his hand that Taeil is valiantly trying to ignore also looks like it has a picture of Shinchan on the front because he doesn’t want to confront the fact that he actually finds it super endearing.

Taeil takes a deep breath. Well - why not?

“Can I offer you a drink? Or buy you dinner, or something? To make up for my cat. I feel really bad-”

Yuta’s _mrrrroooowww_ is the loudest and most delighted yet.

“Oh, no, you really don’t have to-”

“Please, let me do something. I can’t believe you have to put up with this cat nonsense-”

“Well - I’m free now. Mark hyung can settle his own dinner, I guess. There’s a nice guksu place around the corner we can go? Have you been?”

“Oh, sure. I love that place.”

“Great,” Donghyuck smiles again, and Taeil’s heart now begins to pound for an entirely different reason. “Thank you, hyung.”

“Sure. Um, do you want to-” Taeil gestures vaguely at the briefs in Donghyuck’s hand and Donghyuck blinks as if he’d forgotten it.

“Oh! Yeah, let me chuck this back at home and I’ll meet you out front?”

Taeil nods and lets Donghyuck out before allowing the door to click closed for a moment before looking at Yuta. If ever there was a real cat that got the cream as the saying goes, Yuta is it.

“You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?” Taeil asks him.

*

“So you’ve gone out to eat together, just the two of you, how many times now?” Yuta asks briskly.

“Six,” Taeil repeats, rolling his eyes before letting his head thud onto his pillow.

“And he’s got your number? And regularly texts you?”

“Yes.”

“And has invited you over to his house on weekends just to hang out?”

“Yes .”

“And you still haven’t tried to get him in bed? What are you, an idiot?”

Taeil aims a kick at Yuta sitting at the end of his bed which Yuta easily blocks with his cat reflexes.

“Don’t be gross,” Taeil grumbles, looking up at the ceiling. “I don’t dare get this wrong, okay? It’ll be horrible, he lives just next door. And Mark will stop talking to me as well.”

“I can’t believe this. You think he waits for you to be done with work to have dinner, and texts you throughout the day, and asks you to come over to play games with him even though you always beat him just because he likes you platonically?”

“It’s possible,” Taeil argues.

“Wow, you’re an idiot.”

“I’m still your hyung.”

“Wow, you’re an idiot, hyung.”

“Look, he hasn’t done a single thing that couldn’t be interpreted as just wanting to be friends, okay? He said he’s here in Seoul from Jeju for college after being in the army for two years, he probably doesn’t know that many people.”

“Okay, let’s say you’re right. How long is this going to go on, then? When you’re practically salivating over him?”

“I am not salivating over him.”

“You are.”

“Am not.”

“You are.” Yuta bats his eyes at Taeil. “As usual, it comes down to me to help you out.”

“No more underwear stealing!”

“Shout that a bit fucking louder, would you? I don’t think Gangwondo heard you. And I’m not going to steal his underwear, for fuck’s sake.”

Taeil shakes his head in wonder at Yuta. “For as adorable a cat that you make I will never get used to you swearing like this.”

“All cats swear. If you could understand our language you’d be shocked.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Yuta sticks out his tongue at Taeil. “Anyway. It’s time for Donghyuck to meet your roommate.”

“What roomma- No.”

“Yes.”

“No! He’s not going to meet you!”

“All I’m saying is that if he has feelings for you maybe he’s just as scared as you are to do anything about them. And maybe he just needs a little kick up the butt.”

“Please stay away from Donghyuck’s butt.”

“I’m doing this precisely so you can get near his butt.”

Taeil covers his face with his hands and moans in despair.

“Donghyuck meets your sexy, attractive, alluring friend who is visiting from out of town and living with you for the time being and is ambiguous in his intentions towards you. Donghyuck feels jealous and makes a move to mark his territory. What can go wrong?”

“Are you seriously asking me that question?” Taeil asks, hands still covering his face. “I’m begging you, don’t do this.”

“It’ll be fine!” Yuta declares, beaming. “I’m a cat. I’m an expert at sex.”

“Oh, my god,” Taeil whispers.

*

Donghyuck steals a peek at Taeil through both their kitchen windows that face each other across a tiny fence and smiles to himself. Rumpled, early-morning Taeil trudging around his kitchen to make his coffee and maybe a bit of toast before he goes to work is one of his favourite Taeils. Maybe one day he’ll get to see this Taeil up close as they make breakfast together instead of having to spy on him through his window, Donghyuck thinks ruefully. He’d been so sure Taeil was going to ask him to come in for a drink after going for dinner last night and then maybe something more, but - well.

“Maybe I’m reading him all wrong?” Donghyuck muses into his teacup, making a face at his reflection in the liquid.

“He’s stringing you along,” Mark frowns, sitting at their small dining table and inhaling cereal.

“Hyung, don’t you like him?” Donghyuck asks, surprised at Mark’s angry tone, and Mark immediately drops the serious act.

“I do,” he admits, and Donghyuck smiles at his sweet hyung. “But if he ends up disappointing or hurting you then no, I don’t like him.”

“I don’t get it, though? I mean why would I-” Donghyuck cuts himself off abruptly, feeling like he’s swallowed his tongue, because a shirtless man has just walked into Taeil’s kitchen. Hair bed-tousled and lightly muscled, he takes the cup that Taeil pours milk into and offers him - milk? Just milk? - and casually leans against the fridge talking to Taeil and smiling.

He’s handsome, and shirtless, and looks so comfortable there with Taeil that it’s clear they know each other well.

“Hyuckie? What is it?”

“Come here, but don't make it obvious. Look into Taeil hyung’s kitchen.”

Mark bustles over, almost stepping on Badass in the process, and inhales sharply when he sees what Donghyuck is seeing.

“Holy shit,” Mark breathes. “Didn’t you and Taeil hyung have dinner last night?”

“Yeah,” Donghyuck says, still surreptitiously watching Taeil and the guy.

“And yet this guy is here this morning? Looking like he’s-” Mark stops, and eyes Donghyuck. “I mean, it doesn’t mean they - it could be anything. Maybe he’s a friend and only just dropped in. Maybe he went for a run and needed a shower immediately, and Taeil’s house was nearby. Or maybe - maybe he lost his shirt-”

Donghyuck put a hand on Mark’s arm, stopping him. “ _Maybe_ this is why Taeil hyung didn’t invite me in last night,” he says, trying to make his voice light. “It’s okay, I mean - it’s not like he asked me out on a date and then this happened. He’s never been anything but friendly. It’s okay, hyung.”

“I never liked him,” Mark says darkly, scooping Badass up and hugging him. 

Donghyuck sighs. He knew it was stupid to get his hopes up this high, but - welll. That’s that, then. Time to throw himself into school and study his crush on Taeil away.

“Hyuckie,” Mark says suddenly, still looking out their window.

“What?” Donghyuck answers, turning to the sink to wash his teacup.

“The guy is coming over here.”

“ _What?_ ”

Donghyuck almost drops his cup as they both turn towards the front door and true enough, the doorbell buzzes not even a minute later.

“I’ll do this,” Mark says, drawing himself up as he marches to the door with Badass under one arm. He opens the door casually after waiting half a minute or so, until their doorbell buzzes one more time.

“Can I help you?”

“Hi,” Yuta smiles brightly - wearing a shirt now - and it’s one of the few smiles Donghyuck has seen figuratively blow Mark’s socks off. Mark blinks in the aftermath, trying to get a hold of himself, and Badass starts a low growl that Donghyuck can relate to.

“I’m Nakamoto Yuta. You don’t know me, but I’m Taeil from next door’s really good friend,” the guy says and smiles once more.

_Really good friend_ , Donghyuck snorts mentally. Badass ups the volume of his growl while Mark is still recovering, and Donghyuck thinks that even if he can’t count on his hyung to not be affected by random strangers with nice smiles muscling in his best friend’s crush then at least Badass is in his corner.

“Taeil is a little busy now, but he asked me to invite the two of you over for dinner tonight. Just us four.”

Donghyuck watches Yuta glance at the steadily-growling Badass and catches the slight lift of his upper lip in a sneer. Hah!

“We’re not free tonight,” Donghyuck smoothly cuts in while Mark regains the power of speech.

“Oh, that’s a shame. Well, guess I have Taeilie-boo all to myself, then,” Yuta grins, and Donghyuck wants to throw him. Actually pick him up and throw him. Fucking _Taeilie-boo_ -!

Mark closes the door after Yuta leaves and Donghyuck ignores him in order of searching for his phone and pulling up his message thread with Taeil.

_\- hyung, shall we have dinner today too? ^^_

It’s a tense one-minute wait before the reply comes, and Donghyuck frowns at it in confusion.

_\- Sure! Where do you want to go?_

Donghyuck weighs his phone in his hand, thinking. What are the two of them up to?

_\- you sure you’re free?_

_\- Yes. Always got time for you, Hyuckie :D_

What on earth?

_\- you sure you don’t have any previous appointments? with other friends?_

_\- I’m really not very sure what you mean. I’m pretty certain I don’t?_

_\- your friend just came over to invite me and Mark hyung for dinner tonight with you, hyung_

Donghyuck waits for a reply but it doesn’t come, and suddenly he can hear raised voices coming from Taeil’s house. Mark gives him a look, finally back in the land of the living from the force of Yuta’s smile, and Donghyuck shares in his general sentiments of ‘what the fuck?’

_\- you know what? turns out Mark hyung and i are free to come over tonight, actually. we’ll see you at seven? :)_

For better or for worse, Donghyuck thinks.

“Hyung, cancel your jam session later. We’re going to Taeil hyung’s place.”

*

Taeil nearly has a stroke when the doorbell rings at seven.

Apart from nearly killing Yuta for that stunt he’d pulled earlier in the day he was frazzled from a last-minute problem at work and not prepared to deal with a clearly suspicious Donghyuck, much less have dinner with him and Yuta when he didn’t know just what exactly Yuta was going to try to do. Yuta had confessed that he’d also let Donghyuck see him this morning through the kitchen window, having noticed in his cat form that Donghyuck always steals peeks at Taeil as he gets ready for work; Taeil was torn between feeling endeared by this knowledge about Donghyuck and wanting to murder Yuta. Donghyuck seeing a shirtless Yuta walking around his house? God, who knew what Donghyuck was thinking, but all his warnings and threats as usual fell on deaf ears and an enigmatic smile. Taeil wonders why on earth he didn’t just drown himself the moment Yuta had wormed into his life. Then again - if Donghyuck was feeling suspicious about Yuta wasn’t that a good thing? That Donghyuck maybe felt the same way about him too?

“Hi,” he manages to smile at Donghyuck, looking like a sight for sore eyes standing outside his door, and extends that smile to Mark who also looks like he’d dressed up a bit for this. “Thanks for coming. It’s good to see you.”

“Hi, hyung,” Donghyuck smiles back, and as usual these days when Donghyuck smiles at him Taeil has a severe attack of what his more trendsavvy coworkers tell him are called the ‘uwus’. “We brought ice cream.”

“You didn’t have to,” Taeil murmurs as he takes the ice cream from Donghyuck and lets them in. Who knows how this night is going to end? Ice cream may not be able to save it.

“Hello, friends,” Yuta announces, appearing from out of the bedroom with the air of bestowing some great gift upon them all. “Here I am.”

Taeil barely stops himself from rolling his eyes. “Shall we sit? The food is ready. I got quite a mix of things on the way home.”

“So,” Donghyuck starts, once they’re seated at the dining table and have begun munching. “How do you know each other? Yuta-ssi just said you were good friends.”

Taeil notes the steady look Donghyuck is giving Yuta and honestly feels a flutter in his stomach. He does love a forceful, straight-to-the-point man, and the way this issue is clearly important to Donghyuck is giving him too much hope.

“Um, we met at - work?” Taeil says quickly, having already prepared a response for this. “He’s a freelancer. He does voice talent jobs - voice effects, backup singing, and so on. He was doing some work for the company when I’d just started there.”

“Singing?” Mark asked, interested.

“Sure. I’ve got an amazing voice,” Yuta answers matter-of-factly, swallowing his mouthful of rice before belting out a line from a Sam Smith song. Donghyuck and Mark are left impressed while Yuta goes back to eating like nothing just happened.

“And all you do is backup singing?” Mark asks incredulously.

Yuta shrugs. “Pays the bills.”

“So… you’re moving in with Taeil hyung? Or..?” Donghyuck casually asks, casually scooping up a spoonful of soup and _casually_ pouring it over his rice.

“Oh, I already live here,” Yuta says, and Donghyuck’s eyes widen, and three out of the four people at the table all immediately think of the one single bed in the bedroom that Donghyuck knows is there.

“He means all his stuff is here,” Taeil urgently cuts in. “He doesn’t really _live here_ -live here. This is just the address he uses. He’s staying with his girlfriend. Long-term. Practically married.”

“Your.. girlfriend?” Donghyuck repeats faintly.

“Yes,” Yuta says, sending Taeil a quick reproachful glance. “I used to live here, I meant. I came back to see how he’s surviving without me.”

“Speaking of ‘without’,” Mark speaks up. “Where’s your cat?”

“Causing trouble somewhere, probably,” Taeil replies.

“He is a lovely cat,” Yuta declares. “Great temperament. Very sweet and helpful.”

“Helpful?” Mark asks, laughing.

“Extremely. But Taeilie here doesn’t always appreciate him, more’s the pity.”

“What does he help Taeil hyung do?” Donghyuck asked, grinning, relaxed more now due to Yuta’s fictional long-term girlfriend. _That’s a plus, right?_ Taeil thinks. That Donghyuck doesn’t think that after all their time spent together Taeil is harbouring a secret boyfriend or something. This reaction can only be good, right?

Yuta takes a breath to answer and Taeil interrupts, just in case Yuta was about to say something else that would drop him right in it. “Don’t you have jam sessions on Fridays, usually, Mark?”

“Yeah, but he made me cancel to come here,” Mark replies. “Not that I mind, I mean,” he continues, wincing a little. Donghyuck smiles, shifting in his seat and bringing his hand nearest Mark back onto the table.

“You two seem quite close,” Yuta beams at Donghyuck and Mark. “Are you dating?”

Taeil consigns his soul to god as both Mark and Donghyuck splutter out denials. _Here we go_.

“Oh, no? Then are either of you dating anyone?” Yuta continues blithely. “Taeilie here-”

“- _‘hyung’_ ”

“Taeilie hyung here isn’t dating anyone at the moment - or ever, actually - and I always wonder why,” Yuta puts down his chopsticks, convincingly concerned look on his face. “Don’t you agree, Donghyuck? Isn’t he handsome enough?”

Donghyuck goes red and mumbles ‘yes’ as Taeil looks at the ceiling.

“Right? And don’t you think he’s so nice and considerate? He’d make such a good boyfriend. Don’t you think so, Donghyuckie?”

“Does anyone want ice cream?” Taeil asks desperately.

“Don’t be silly, Taeilie, we’ve hardly finished dinner. As I was saying-”

“I think that Taeil hyung would actually make a very good boyfriend, yes,” Mark pipes up unexpectedly, as Donghyuck turns to glare at him. Yuta blinks, and then smiles as only a feline can.

“Thank you, Mark. Do you know anyone suitable I can set Taeilie up on a date with?”

Mark’s face freezes as Donghyuck’s hand disappears underneath the table once more.

“I mean,” Yuta continues, picking up his chopsticks again. “He says he’s got a big crush on someone these days - some college student, apparently - but he absolutely refuses to tell me who. If I wait for him to make a move we’ll all be old and grey by the time he does so I better take things into my own hands, right? Though there's only so much I can do. After a certain point he needs to take the initiative, know what I mean?”

Yuta takes an oblivious bite of his rice as both Taeil and Donghyuck go firetruck-red and Mark almost bounces in his seat from delight looking at the two of them blush furiously. Yuta looks between Donghyuck and Taeil, chewing happily.

Game, set, and match.

*

Yuta stalks across the fence that separates Taeil’s and Donghyuck’s houses - a useless boundary, these days - and spies Badass in Donghyuck’s small yard. _Dogs_ , Yuta thinks disparagingly, but considering Taeil and Donghyuck are wrapped up in each other in Taeil’s bedroom sucking face or something Yuta is in need of entertainment for the time being.

“Hey, you,” he flicks his tail and says in the common tongue, forgoing the higher cat language for something the dog will understand. “I’m bored. What’s the gossip these days?”

“Food. Sticks. Love. Walks. Master. Food. Love. Head scratches,” Badass replies, panting happily.

Yuta stares, unimpressed. “I almost liked you better when you were always growling at me.”

“Master. Love. Master. Smile. Cat,” the dog yips, and Yuta rolls his eyes.

“Look, you have to be able to speak the common tongue. Just try stringing a sentence together.”

“Cat. Master. Like. Smile. Tailwagging.”

Yuta narrows his eyes. “Tailwagging?”

“Tailwagging. Much. Master. Cat. Like. Cat.”

Mark comes out into the yard and Badass goes bounding into his arms, and Mark stands there a moment looking out at nothing in particular.

Master cat like cat? Yuta thinks, blinking slowly. He hops down onto Taeil’s side of the fence and shifts; a quick dart into the house through the kitchen door to grab clean-ish clothes off the clothes hamper and he’s looking presentable enough. He comes round Taeil’s house and smiles when he sees Mark standing in the yard still with Badass in his arms.

Badass barks excitedly as a huge smile breaks out on Mark’s face when he sees Yuta.

_Tailwagging_ , huh? Yuta thinks, still smiling as he walks towards Mark. Interesting.

**

**Author's Note:**

> [twt](https://twitter.com/haetsalmoonbit)


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